Battles Joined
by Winter1066
Summary: Tag for All Hell Breaks lose. The answer to why Sam saw nothing when he died


**Battles Joined**

Thanks to Tidia for a great beta job. To my friend Lisa who wanted to see the reaper in the finale but didn't. And to Derry for giving me this idea.

* * *

Sam woke with a start, jack-knifing into a sitting position. His hand reached towards his back knowing exactly what he'd find. Jake stabbed him. The remembered pain was incredible and Sam groaned. _What the hell is going on? _The pain only lasted a few minutes and he was able to catch his breath. Cautiously swinging his feet over the bed, he stood up. Where was Dean? Sam walked towards the window and looked out, but couldn't see anything. He had to still be in the town. 

"What the hell?"

"I'd watch what I say."

Sam whirled to see a young woman with shoulder length dark hair leaning against the wall. As she stepped forward, Sam backed away.

"What the hel…eck is going on?"

"What do you remember?" She said in a husky voice. She moved away from the wall, her black dress caressing her body.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Don't be a bore," she pouted.

"What are you?" Sam demanded.

She sighed, and lifted her arms up to show off her trim body"I'm a reaper."

"So I'm dead."

"Yes and no," she replied walking around the room.

Sam kept her in front of him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're in Limbo." She purred.

"I don't understand."

The reaper clicked her tongue against the roof of her nouth/ "Neither did your brother."

Sam was confused. "How do you know Dean?"

"We're old friends," She said stepping up to Sam and running her left hand along his chest

"You're the reaper that was after him?" Sam replied as she led him over to the bed with a firm grip on his arm.

She nodded as she pulled him down next to her. "They said you were the smart one."

"So now you've come for me?"

She gave him a fake frown, the corners of her mouth turned down. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean?" he asked. "If I'm already dead then you've come to take me across."

"Normally, yes," she replied. "But you're going to do something for me."

"Like what?"

"You're going to help me get revenge ." Her eyes flashed.

Sam laughed. "You're a damned reaper. Who do you need revenge on?"

"The demon!"

"What? Why?"

"Because he possessed ME." She pointed to herself. "And that is not allowed."

Sam stared in horror as the reaper became a ghostly wraith. The room began to fade and all Sam could see was darkness. He'd never been more afraid in his life. Suddenly, the room was back and the reaper in the form of the young woman.

"I want to crossover.".

"You can't," she answered. "Not while I'm holding you here."

Purgatory, limbo, the names for the in between place between heaven and hell. He prayed everyday for forgiveness, strength, salvation. He prayed for his soul, his brother's and his father's. He believed there was something out there, bigger than himself-God, Yahweh, Allah. It didn't matter. There had to be more than reapers and demons. "What's beyond this?"

"You're brother wanted to know that too," she said. "But like I told him. I can't spoil the punch line."

"You're forcing me to stay here!"

"Do you really want to leave your brother?"

Sam stared at her in confusion. "You can't send me back," he argued. "That's not part of your powers."

"No," she said. "But your brother is resourceful."

Sam was about to ask her another question when he gasped in pain. He looked at her. She was smiling.

"Goodbye, Sam."

Sam gulped in a lungful of air and opened his eyes. He propped himself up on his elbows and grimaced as the wound pulled. He didn't know what was going on as he climbed out of the bed shuffling towards the mirror. The hunter groaned as he pulled up his shirt to look at his back. He couldn't believe it. The wound was almost healed. Sam heard someone opening the door and tensed.

Dean stepped into the cabin not knowing what to expect. He was relieved to see Sam standing there looking at him.

"Sammy, thank God," 

SNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSN

The reaper stepped at the graveyard, making her way to the Yellow Eyed Demon. The body on the ground was only the host, but the demon was dead. She had faith that Dean would kill him. Smiling, she pushed the corpse with her boot.

"Did you think we wouldn't respond?" she asked, walking around the body.

"You planned to start the war before its time. We couldn't let that go unchallenged."

The wind began to pick up. Dead leaves in the cemetery began to swirl around the reaper. As the wind became a maelstrom she began to change. There was a flash of white and the wind died. Standing in the reaper's place was a being both beautiful and terrible. Large white wings soared from his back. In his hand was a silver horn. Raising it to his lips he blew a clear and powerful note. It echoed for a time then slowly faded. The cemetery was deadly quiet as he looked down on the body.

"Our champion has served us well. Now we have joined the fight. The demons you released will be hunted and returned to Hell. For now the battle has been joined!"

There was a blinding light. There was no evidence that anything had disturbed the sanctuary. The moon came from behind a cloud. It's ghostly light shone the gates of hell.


End file.
